Friday, September 4, 2015

When Pope Francis arrives
in the U.S. for the World Meeting of Families later this month, he will find a
Catholic public that is remarkably accepting of a variety of non-traditional
families, according to a new Pew Research Center survey that provides an
in-depth look at American Catholics’ views on family life, sexuality and
Catholic identity.

Nine-in-ten U.S. Catholics
say a household headed by a married mother and father is an ideal situation for
bringing up children. But the survey shows that large majorities think other
kinds of families – those headed by parents who are single, divorced, unmarried
or gay – are OK for raising children, too.

Roman Catholic Women Priests have valid orders because our first women bishops were ordained by a anonymous Roman Catholic male bishop with apostolic succession and in communion with the pope. So all our ordinations are valid, but our orders violate church law. We are disobeying an unjust law in order to change it in prophetic obedience to the Spirit.This is the reason the institutional church has excommunicated us. In addition, the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP) is not a clerical model but is a renewed priestly in a community of equals. I agree with Pope Francis that clericalism is a major problem in the Roman Catholic Church . This is the reason our the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests' vision and mission is developing communities of equals. In our liturgies, for example, the entire assembly prays the epiclesis and words of institution/consecration during the Eucharistic Prayer and usually include a dialogue homily. Our governance model in ARCWP utilizes a discernment, prayerful approach in a circular model of decision-making. The bishop's main role is to ordain and is a member of the sacred circle with one vote in making decision. We are one with the people of God in co-celebrating sacraments in inclusive discipleship of equals, grassroots communities. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

Bible verses preaching gender equality abound,
she said. Look at Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there
is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female, for you are all
one in Jesus Christ."

So she'll be in the front rows when
"Gender, Gospel and Global Justice" - a three-day international
conference dedicated to female ordination and hosted by Women's Ordination
Worldwide - kicks off in Philadelphia on Sept. 18.

And on Sept. 24, Meehan, a bishop with the
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests - a group rejected by the Roman
Catholic Church - will personally ordain three women as bishops at Pendle Hill,
a Quaker retreat in Wallingford, Delaware County.

The Vatican has repeatedly rejected female
ordination, excommunicating Meehan and women who have been ordained by groups
such as hers.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
founded nearly 500 years ago to defend the church from heresy, has called
female ordination an offense as grave as pedophilia. And despite Pope Francis'
growing reputation as a progressive, he has not conceded an inch on female
ordination, saying in 2013: "The church has spoken and says no. That door
is closed."

But Meehan and her supporters say they are not
thumbing their nose at the pope. She said Philadelphia - with the upcoming
World Meeting of Families and papal visit - is the perfect place to focus
attention on an injustice most Catholics want remedied. Nearly 70 percent of
U.S. Catholics say the church should allow women to become priests, according
to a 2014 Pew Research Center study.

"I'm a big fan [of Pope Francis] because he
is calling for justice for the poor, mistreated and marginalized," said
Meehan, of Sarasota, Fla. "But he leaves women out. Women priests are the
elephant in the church today."

While the church has trouble persuading men to
join the priesthood, more women than ever are clamoring to become clergy,
Meehan said.

"We are not leaving the church. We are leading
the church into a new era of justice and equality," she said. "We see
ourselves walking very much in the path of Rosa Parks and the suffragettes.
We're calling on the church to make the connections between the discrimination
against women in the church and abuse and injustice against women in the
world."

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia did not respond
to the Daily News' request for comment.

Rocco Palmo, a Catholicism chronicler who writes
the popular "Whispers in the Loggia" blog, said Francis' stance on
female ordination has more to do with his concern about clericalism - clergy
believing themselves superior to others - than any personal or institutional
sexism.

"Francis sees clericalism as one of the
greatest destructive forces in the history of the church," Palmo said.
"There's this belief that if you're not a priest, you don't matter."

Yet women have been indispensable in other
church roles, Palmo added. The three most influential Catholic services -
Catholic Relief Services, the Catholic Health Association and the Catholic
Charities USA - are headed by women, he said.

"And you can make the argument, and it'd be
a very credible one, that the most significant, influential Catholic in this
city is not a cleric or a man. It's Sister Mary Scullion, who has done more to
reduce homelessness in Philadelphia than anyone and who is living her baptism
to the fullest. I don't know what more priesthood would accomplish for
her."

Since the first seven female "priests"
were ordained in 2002 in Europe, more than 200 women now are ordained worldwide
- including about 160 in the United States, Meehan said. None of them are
recognized by the Vatican as priests or bishops.

The three women Meehan will ordain as bishops on
Sept. 24 in Philly are the Revs. Mary E. Collingwood, of Hudson, Ohio; Michele
Birch Conery, of Windsor, Canada; and Olga Lucia Alvarez, of Medellin,
Colombia."

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Catholic scripture scholar Raymond Brown observesthat today's gospel tells
of an “unusual amount of contact”between Jesus and the man he heals.It's
one of just two stories in Markwhere Jesus heals using physical
techniques,which did not appeal to later writerswho preferred showing
Jesus healing with a word.So Fr. Brown suggests that the story we hear
todaydeveloped in at least four stages.First, there was the original
exorcism performed by Jesus,where the man's “tongue was released.”The
scholars of the Jesus Seminar agreethat Mark did not create the
event,that the healing of a deaf-mute very likely really happened,coming
out of the oral traditionand gathering details as it was re-told.Then
the post-resurrection church in Palestine framed the eventin the words of
promise in Isaiah 35’s Messianic prophecy,which we heard in today's first
reading:"The eyes of the blind shall be openedand the ears of the deaf
unstopped."After that the Hellenistic church,telling the story in the
context of their own time,portrayed Jesus as a wonder-worker,with
emphasis on the physical means of healingthat was part of their cultural
understanding.Finally, Mark adds a new layer of meaningby drawing a
comparison betweenthe disciples' deafness to Jesus' messageand their
inability to profess faith in
him.________________________________________Are we, here in 2015 US of
A, hearing this gospel in a fifth stage?We are 50 years into the Vatican II
renewalwith its emphasis on the preferential option for the poor,and we
see Jesus talking with, reaching out to,actually touching, with healing
love,one of the poor, the outcast, the unclean of his time.So today we
understandthat we cannot claim to be followers of the Way of
Jesuswithout reaching out to the helpless, the oppressed, the
poor.____________________________________As you know, I go to Claver
Housefor breakfast on weekday mornings,and it's there that I see this
gospel put into practice.Just like in the gospel story,I see people who
can't hear, people who can't speak,people wearing tattered
clothes,people who haven't had a shower in a while,people with missing
teeth, or no teeth at all.More than that, I see lots of people reaching
out.Black and white and brown sit together and share a meal.People from
India talk to people from Indiana as equals.When someone comes by for the
first time,at least three people will call out a “welcome”and someone
will get up and show themwhere to get a tray and plate and silverwareand
explain how to negotiate the food line and coffee pot. There'stalk about the
weather and the news,banter about the winners and losers in last night's
games,laughing at jokes and sharing
worries.____________________________________________On top of that open
welcome, I see compassion.People who have nothing themselvesworry about
each other.When one of the regulars doesn't show up for a few
days,someone phones or drops by to make sure they're okay.And I see
prayer.Each morning about 8:30 we pray the Our Father together.But I
notice Kenny, whose schedule gets him thereafter the rest of us have
prayed,take off his hat, close his eyes, and bow his head,and I see all
the others at his tablewait in respectful silence while he
prays.____________________________________And I see the
volunteers,not just Catholicsbut Protestants and Muslims and Jewsand
people without a religious tradition,giving up a morning a week to slice and
dice and serve,to put together casseroles and soups and sandwiches,to
make toast and coffee and refill the sugar and creamer.I see them taking a
break now and thento sit and chat with the guests.I see them listening,
talking, caring—more than being friendly,but being
friends.____________________________________When I get there on
Mondays,the back seat of my car is packed to the roofand the trunk is
filled with donationsthat you gave me over the weekend—those containers
and plastic bags,pancake syrup and scouring powder,clothes and shoes and
laundry detergent,jigsaws and stuffed animals for the kids.Sometimes two
or three of the menhave to come out to help haul everything in.That's
when I see you,you faithful followers of the Way,reaching out and
healing,just like Jesus teaches us to do.

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/transgender-catholics-cant-be-godparents-vatican-says/Bridget Mary's Response: What the heck does one's sexuality have to do with one's ability to live one's faith fully and be a loving, supportive godparent? The Vatican statement below sounds like they are going back to the dark ages on the topic of sexuality. No surprise! By this negative judgment, the hierarchy is treating our Transgender sisters and brothers like they are second class members in the Body of Christ. How sad! In our inclusive communities, we welcome Transgender godparents. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.orghttp://transgenderlawcenter.org/programsVatican Statement: "Transgender status "reveals in a public way an attitude opposite to the moral imperative of solving the problem of sexual identity according to the truth of one's own sexuality," the Vatican said. "Therefore it is evident that this person does not possess the requirement of leading a life according to the faith and in the position of godfather and is therefore unable to be admitted to the position of godfather or godmother."

Bishop
Gaillot, who has the head of the northern French diocese of
Evreux until being demoted by Pope John Paul II, spoke
with Pope Francis about many marginalized groups. According to Agence France
Presse (AFP), he "defended the rights
of homosexuals, divorced people and migrants."

According to
the news report, Gaillot recounted his conversation with Pope Francis to the
AFP reporter :

"
'I don't want to ask anything of you, I told the pope, but a whole people of the
poor are happy that you are receiving me, and feel acknowledged too,' Gaillot
said.

"
'I spoke to him about... the sick, the divorced, gay people. These people are
counting on you.'

"The
79-year-old said he had told the pope how he had recently blessed a divorced
couple as well as a homosexual couple, saying 'he listened, he is open to all
those things. He said that to bless is to speak well of God to people.'
"

And Pope
Francis affirmed his ministry, according to the French
bishop:

"Gaillot
said he now devotes much of his time to helping and defending migrants and the
pope, he said, told him 'continue, what you do (for the downtrodden) is good.'
"

Since being
deposed as Bishop of Evreux, Gaillot has remained active by maintaining a
website, Partenia.org,
where he defended marginalized groups. Partenia is the name of a now defunct
ancient diocese which existed in the early centuries of Christianity in
Algeria. An Ouest-France news report (with
an English translation provided by a Bondings 2.0 reader)
noted:

"Trying
to convey something of the unprecedented nature of the situation and of pope
Francis' sense of humour Gaillot said, 'the pope told me with a smile: I speak
to the bishop of Partenia.' "

The same news
report also pointed out:

"The
meeting took place at Pope Francis' request, who left two messages on Gaillot's
answering machine during the Summer, before writing to formally invite him to
the Vatican."

Perhaps the
most significant part of Gaillot's account of describing his blessing of gay
couples to Pope Francis:

"
'I am in civil cloth and I just bless them. This is not a marriage, it is a
blessing. We have the right to give the blessing of God, after all we also bless
houses! The pope listened, he seemed open to all that. At that particular
moment, he specifically said that to bless people also involves to speak well of
God to those people,' said the French prelate."

The Wikipedia.org article on Gaillot
described some of the actions which lead to his ouster over two decades ago,
including the blessing of a gay couple:

"In
1988, during a closed-door session of the assembly in
Lourdes, he advocated the ordination of married men to the
priesthood. After the proceedings had finished Gaillot spoke to the press about
the discussions held and also promoted his own viewpoints. By promoting a
revision of clerical celibacy and the use of condoms, he caused considerable
tension with the French bishops' conference, the situation being exacerbated by
the fact that in speaking to the media about the session, Gaillot had violated
convention regarding assembly conclaves. He later defended his previous actions,
remarking that 'I never broke the vow of celibacy ... I only questioned it. But
that's worse.'Also
that year, Gaillot took the unprecedented step for a Roman Catholic bishop of
blessing a homosexual union in a 'service of welcoming,' after the couple
requested it in view of their imminent death from
AIDS."

The Ouest-France news report
described the very ordinary, humble and human way Gaillot's visit with Pope
Francis occurred:

"Gaillot,
79, in a black suit but without any pectoral cross, said he was greatly
surprised by how informally Francis received him in the Vatican: 'I was in one
of the common room of St Martha's House (where the Pope resides), a door opened
and the pope simply came in. The meeting was carried out as if I was family,
without any protocol. He truly is a free man. At one point, he stood up and
said: Do you have a photographer? As I had none and there was none around who
was available, we took (a photo) with a cell phone....'
"

Bridget Mary's Response:

The full equality of women in the church is the will of God. Pope Francis should lift all excommuncations against women priests, our supporters and all Catholics who follow their consciences.

It is imperative that the entire church live the fullness of the priesthood of the baptized. Women priests are living a renewed priestly ministry in an inclusive church within an empowered community of equals. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

Letter to Pope Francis

Dear Bridget
Mary

Below is the text of a letter which we
have sent to the Pope asking him to reconsider the matter of the diaconate for
women. To read the documentation and history of women's diaconate click here. There is also an opportunity to support this
appeal and sign the letter!

,

Dear Pope
Francis,Respectfully we ask you restore to women the
sacramental gift and grace of diaconal office in our Holy Catholic Church. How
better may we embrace the Spirit of the age than by giving such freedom and
dignity to women, for the good of all, in equality and
fraternity?

Contemporary research shows that tens of thousands of women
served as ordained deacons during the first millennium of the Church: in Italy,
Gaul, Greece, Asia Minor, Palestine and Egypt. That they received a full
diaconate ordination is clear, a ‘sacramental’ ordination in today’s theological
language. Here is a prayer of 780AD:Holy and Omnipotent
Lord,through the birth of your Only Son our God from a Virgin
according to the flesh,you have sanctified the female
sex.You grant not only to men, but also to women the grace and
coming of the Holy Spirit. Please, Lord, look on this your
maidservant and dedicate her to the task of your diaconate, and pour out into
her the rich and abundant giving of your Holy Spirit.Codex Barberini
Gr.336Many documents confirm that these ordinations were by the imposition
of the bishop’s hands and took place in the sanctuary during the Eucharistic
Liturgy immediately after the Anaphora. Several of your predecessors authorised
Sacramentaries containing ordination prayers for women deacons.

There
should be no room in our Church today for the rationale which subverted female
deacons in the Middle Ages: the phobia concerning menstruation and the conceit
that women are innately inferior to men.

The need for the ministry of
women deacons is plain in every country. May your hands be the first to restore
the diaconal dignity to women.With respect and
love,

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Both girls had fled the region already for fear of repercussions from their brother’s actions. Their family believes the girls may be murdered if they return to their village in the Baghpat district.

A disturbing report emerged from Amnesty International stating that an unelected, all-male council sentenced two girls to be gang-raped. Meenakshi Kumari, 23, and her 15-year-old sister were “sentenced” to rape after their brother eloped with a married woman. The “sentence” also requires the sisters to be paraded naked with blackened faces in front of the village.

As of this writing, more than 80,000 Care2 members have signed a petition demanding protection for the girls by the Principal Secretary of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Care2 is also calling for an investigation into the village council.

Both girls had fled the region already for fear of repercussions from their brother’s actions. Their family believes the girls may be murdered if they return to their village in the Baghpat district.

Unelected village councils such as this are widespread in parts of India. More often than not they are made up of older men from dominant castes, who prescribe rules for social behaviour and interaction in villages.

The supreme court of India has described them as ‘kangaroo courts’ and branded their decrees illegal, yet in some states they continue to operate – and their punishments are carried out.

Advocacy organizations are outraged by the continued existence of these sham courts that violate basic human rights through practices like “revenge rape.”

Last year, a 14-year-old was “sentenced” to rape by after her brother was accused of sexually assaulting a married women. The girl was raped in the woods by the woman’s husband. Village elders also ordered the rape of a 23-year-old woman last year, leaving her in critical condition after being attacked by 13 men.

A petition has been filed with India’s Supreme Court by Meenakshi Kumari to protect her and the unnamed younger sister.

Please take a moment to sign our petition standing with Meenakshi against rape and urging the Indian government to dismantle these barbaric, illegal councils seeking to oppress and exploit women within parts of the country.

If you feel strongly about an issue in your community or the world, start a Care2 petition today to get help from members around the globe.

All:
In the name of our God, Creator of an imperfect world and
evolutionaryhumanity, our brother Jesus forgiving those who killed him, and
Sofia Wisdomgifting us with human consciousness and feelings.
Amen

All: Opening Prayer:

"God of Evolution and Love, I
know that my behavior, words or attitudes havehurt myself and others. I am
truly sorry; I want to forgive myself and toforgive others who have hurt
me. Help me avoid hurting myself and othersagain. I believe that your son,
Jesus Christ died for the Love of me and allof humanity for all time. Jesus
is alive and hears my prayers. I surrendermy life to God today. May I
continually deepen my relationship with youfrom this day forward. Please
send your Holy Spirit to help me to hear youin the quiet of my soul and to
do Your will for the rest of my life. Asalways, in Jesus' name I pray,
Amen."

.

First Reading adapted from Pathway to Peace and Inner
Freedom. Steps 8*

by Judith A Terrameo, OSF

Steps 8

Step
8 Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to makeamends
to them all.

Reader 1: Even though I may feel and think that my
(behavior or words) didnot cause others pain and suffering I must remember
that I do not live mylife in a vacuum. My life is always "rubbing
shoulders" with others: themembers of my family, friends, co-workers,
neighbors and so to think that my(behaviors) were void of relational damage
is to live in denial. ...I amtold that the first part of Step 8 is about
simply making a list (author'semphasis) of those I harmed...some names are
easy and reasonable, others notso easy as I recall past hurts and angers
wrought upon me. So, theresentments just well up within me. I cannot hold
onto these resentmentslest they corrupt the work...

Reader 2:
The second part of Step 8 is to become willing (author's emphasis)to make
amends. Realizing the struggle I am having with some of the nameson my
list, I know that I need to turn to my (Loving God) for the grace todo that
which is beyond me: making amends to those who initially hurt me,pushing my
buttons and triggering irrational behavior on my part forretribution's
sake. I must acknowledge the part I played and accept
theconsequences.

Reader 3: These amends involve a process of
forgiveness---forgiveness withrespect to those whom I have inflicted pain;
which I have discovered helpsme in a process of self-forgiveness. Forgiving
myself, however, is moredifficult. But I know that the God of my
understanding wants me to be freeof guilt and shame that would continue if
not let go of: and this is aluxury that I cannot afford.

This is an inspired word All: Thanks be to
God

Psalm Response:

All: In Love mend my brokenness.

Look at my affliction and my trouble,

And mend all my
brokenness....

May integrity and uprightness protect me,

For you
are my only hope. (Ps 25)

In Love mend my
brokenness.

Help us o God of our Salvation,

For the sake
of our glorious Name!

Deliver us! Atone for our sins

And rescue us
for your Name's sake!

In Love mend my brokenness. (Ps
79)

Happiness comes from having your rebellion taken
away,

From having our failure completely covered.

Happiness comes
from YHWH not counting your mistakes,

From having nothing to hide. (Ps
32)

In Love mend my brokenness

Second Reading adapted
from Pathway to Peace and Inner Freedom. Steps 9,*

by Judith A Terrameo,
OSF

Step 9

Made direct amends to such people wherever
possible, except when to do sowould injure them or
others.

Reader 1: I now undertake the action required of me in
step 9---makingdirect amends. (Author's emphasis) This is not something I
can rush into. Ineed to spend time in thought and prayer, inviting my
Higher Power to directthe process... I need a trusted companion with whom I
can also share,someone who can assist me in this step by step journey,
especially withthose difficult amends which I could easily rationalize away
due to the hurtdone to me.

Reader 2: And so begins...there
are a couple of people I know I will neversee again, but who deserve an
amends because of the hurt I caused them. Iwrite each of them a letter, in
which I share as best I can what happenedand why. I offer my amends for he
hurt caused, seeking forgiveness. Theletters are put into the mail without
expectation (author's emphasis) of anyreturn correspondence.

Reader 3: this is very important for me because I know that done
withexpectation I will only set myself up for failure and for resentment.
Imake these amends for my personal healing. How the other person responds
isnot my concern.

Reader 4: For others, I begin a process
of face-to-face amends. I setappointments with some, others I call on the
phone, some are immediate, andothers will take more time. As I undertake
the process, I begin toexperience a new-felt freedom because I know that I
am redeeming myself ofpast transgressions.

Reader 5: And
there are still those who are no longer alive. I sit andwrite each of them
a "no send" letter in which I share my amends and myregrets that things
could not have been different. I read these letters tomy trusted companion
so that I may face the consequences of my behavior andown up to the fact
that these amends involve changing the patterns ofbehavior that caused the
hurt in the first place. I then burn these lettersin a ritual---so that the
smoke of these amends, like incense, may reachthem in heaven.

Reader 6 As I go through the process of making these amends I
feel the senseof shame diminishing, I am able to let go of guilt, and I feel
an increasedsense of self-esteem, self-respect and self-worth. This is
sheer gift frommy Higher Power, the by-product of taking seriously the
humble work ofmaking amends.

All: The final amends that I
make are to myself because through thesehurtful behaviors I estranged myself
from significant people in my life,alienated myself from relationship with
my Higher Power, and lost the beautyof my own soul. This is an
inspired word. Thanks be to God

Gospel Reading: A Reading from
the Gospel of Luke 5: 17-26

Now it happened that Jesus was
teaching one day, and Pharisees and teachersof the Law, who had come from
every village in Galilee, from Judea and fromJerusalem, were sitting there.
And the power of the Spirit Sophia was thereso that Jesus should heal. Now
some men appeared bringing on a bed a personwho was paralyzed whom they were
trying to bring in and lay down in front ofJesus. But as they could find no
way of getting through the crowd, theywent up onto the top of the house and
lowered the paralyzed one down throughthe tiles into the middle of
gathering, in front of Jesus.

Seeing their faith, Jesus said,
"My friend, your sins are forgiven you." Thescribes and the Pharisees began
to think this over. "Who is this man,talking blasphemy? Who but God alone
can forgive sins? But Jesus, aware oftheir thoughts, spoke his reply, "What
are these thoughts you have in yourhearts? Which is it easier to say, 'Your
sins are forgiven you,' or to say"Get up and walk?" "But to prove to you
that the Son of man has authorityon earth to forgive sins,'---Jesus said to
the paralyzed one-'I order you:get up, pick up your mat and go home." And
immediately before their eyesthe individual got up, picked up the mat and
went home praising God. Theywere all astounded and praised God and were
filled with awe, saying, "Wehave seen remarkable things today."

This
is the Good News of our Brother Jesus. All: Praise to you O LovingGod.

Dialog homily:

What is your experience of asking and
receiving forgiveness?

Did you feel release from shame, guilt and gain
freedom and peace?

When did you feel the need to make amends?

Has
someone made amends to you?

Prayers of the
community

Response: All: God our forgiveness; hear our prayer.

Offertory:

Blessed are you, God of all creation, through your
goodness we have thisbread to offer which earth has given and human hands
have made. This breadis our faith community seeking forgiveness and making
amends for hurts causeothers.

This will become for us the bread of
life. All: Blessed be God forever.

Blessed are you, God of all
creation. Through your goodness we have thiswine to offer, fruit of the
vine and work of human hands. This drink is ourdesire to serve with Jesus in
bringing a forgiveness and wholeness to allwhom we meet and to earth
itself. This wine and juice will become ourspiritual drink. All: Blessed
be God forever.

My sisters and brothers let us pray together that
our gifts may beacceptable to God our Loving Creator.

All: May God
accept these gifts from our hands, for the praise and glory ofGod's name,
and our desire for forgiveness and reconciliation for all thePeople of
God.

Co-Presider: Ever gentle God, We give you thanks for the
blessing ofworshiping you as a community. Accept our gifts and our
worship. Byoffering ourselves may we be filled with your Spirit of
consciousness andcompassion every minute, every day. We ask this through
Christ, ourbrother. All: Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer from
sheet

Our father/mother: sung

Sign of Peace: Let us share a hug of
forgiveness amongst ourselves.

The bread is broken.

All:
This is our Creator who prepared a banquet for his friends; who callseach of
us to a ministry of compassion to all whom we meet. How blessed arewe who
are called to the supper of Jesus. May we be who we are--the Body
ofChrist. May we be what we eat--the Body of Christ. Amen

Passing
the bread "We are the Body of Christ." Passing the wine "We are theBlood of
Christ"

Prayers of thanksgiving and final
thoughts

Closing Prayer

We give thanks for Your love and
forgiveness. May we go forth to bring loveand care to all whom we meet.
We know that the joy and happiness is givento us through you; Loving God of
Evolution, creator and sustainer of all.Amen

Blessing. Raise
hands in mutual blessing

All: May our evolutionary God of wholeness bless
all gathered here and allthose in our families and community. We ask for a
restful Labor Day for ourbodies and our minds. We ask for God's Healing
Presence this fall in thename of our Creator, in the name of our Brother
Jesus, and in the name ofGod's Spirit Sofia as we minister to one another as
the people of God. Amen

Co-Presiders: Let us go in the peace
of Christ, let us rejoice and givethanks to the God reconciliation and our
God's presence in our lives.

Join us for a panel presentation, interfaith ritual, & dialogue:Saturday, October 17, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon; continental breakfastEpiscopal Church Center of Utah – Wasatch Retreat & Conference Center 75 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111Reclaiming the Divine Feminine for Our Work of Compassion, Justice, Peace, and Sustainability Reclaiming the Divine Feminine in our religious traditions will empower our work together for com- passion, peace, justice, and sustainability. Including multicultural female divine names and images in our sacred rituals affirms the sacred value of females throughout the world who continue to suffer from violence and abuse. The earth, traditionally referred to as feminine, likewise suffers from exploitation and abuse. Rituals that include female images can make a powerful contribution to a more just world. A panel discussion will highlight ways that restoring female images of the Divine will contribute to healing our wounded world. The program will include an interfaith ritual,affirming the sacred value of all people and all creation. We will conclude with participants forming circles for dialogue.

Panelists: Featured in She Lives! Sophia Wisdom Works in the World, by Rev. Dr. Jann Aldredge-Clanton, panel moderator

Exactly six
weeks from today I will be ordained a deacon with the Association of Roman
Catholic Women Priests. In anticipation of that a few weeks ago my Program
Companion, Irene, and I decided we wanted to do something we hadn’t done before
- meet in person. Each driving three hours we landed roughly in the middle at
the mall in Fort Wayne, Indiana. What better spot for good conversation than to
meet at the Food Court of Glenbrook Square. Over drinks and lunch we covered ground
from A to Z with a lot of Ooohs, Awwhs and Ohs tossed in for good measure.

Somewhere around
letter Q Irene’s focus shifted in the direction over my right shoulder. Turning
to see what held her gaze, I saw a young Hispanic boy clearly in distress. His
arms were raised, head bent and who we correctly identified as his mother was
speaking to him directly and constantly with a look of concern etched on her
otherwise peace-filled face. To see this boy vomit actually gave us relief that
he wasn’t choking or in some other dire situation. In a moment Irene was on her
feet and at his side offering whatever assistance might be needed. Her presence
also brought comfort to those around him which by this time was a significant
group of family, onlookers and staff. A
quick return to our table and back she was sharing a readily accepted drink
from her cup.

A few minutes
after Irene returned to our table so did this young boy along with his
entourage. While Mom coached him in Spanish, he turned to both of us and in
English said, “Thank you.” Then his story unfolded about how he has brain
cancer, was poked here and cut there, even going so far as to show us his chemotherapy
port. Today he was tired yet much conversation ensued.

Oh how engaging
Irene can be with people. It didn’t take Kenneth long to share that he had seen
God. Boy was he happy about that especially since God told him, “I will give
you many angels to comfort and accompany you.” Young Kenneth easily and
honestly relayed that he didn’t know how much time he might have left here on
earth. But it was OK because, “God is so
pretty.” You might guess what Roman Catholic Woman Priest Irene asked him next.
The answer was a resounding, adamant, “Male.” Yet even as I heard the answer
Kenneth gave, I wondered if that was said from tradition, expectation or even a
little uncertainly that maybe God could be female. I mean how many young boys
would think any male was pretty? Oh, did I tell you he also saw Jesus?

Imagine our
delight when young Kenneth said he wanted to pray for us. We bowed our heads as
he took our hands. Oh that we understood Spanish. Oh that we wondered if it was
indeed another tongue in which his prayers tumbled out of his mouth. We were
touched, moved and then even amazed as he laid hands on both our heads. He
ended by joining our hands while laying his on top. A powerful invocation in
any language!

Once the praying
was finished I turned to Kenneth’s mom and inquired, “Abrazo?” She nodded as she stepped into my arms. Little did I anticipate
the extent of the comfort she needed nor even in her grief the comfort she
gave. The embrace was long and gentle
and filled with blessings and bendiciones
being exchanged, lifted heavenward. Then it was Irene and Mom’s turn; oh, what
an encounter!

All the while we
were surrounded by an assortment of beautiful wide-eyed sisters. Such quiet and
peace in this large family I hadn’t truly experienced before. Even while my
heart was moved to want to do something for them, Irene asked permission for us
to purchase a new shirt for Kenneth. A genuine, “Are you cold in your wet
shirt?” prompted Kenneth’s simple response to Irene, “Yes.” We were off and
running and returned shortly with a fun, funky tee shirt accompanied by
complementary headphones from Irene and a more conservative replacement school
uniform shirt from me. A small bag of dark chocolates was added, a staple required
by all moms.

It was time to
say farewell to our newfound friends. This included meeting more of Kenneth’s
seven brothers and sisters, a few cousins and a wave of his free arm from dad holding
baby seated a few tables away. With hugs all around and appreciation expressed
on all sides, we walked away wondering what Grace had just befallen us.
Actually we didn’t wonder, we knew that boy oh boy we were in the right place
at the right time today. We translated that message to include the bigger path
we are on. As I anticipate my diaconate ordination, I am so sustained by my new
dear friend, Irene, and hope never to forget las bendiciones from Kenneth, a gifted young boy.

Boy oh boy, if
this isn’t a story about modern day mystics I don’t know what is!

Bridget Mary's Response: God's love and mercy is present every day in every occasion for all and works through all.. Pope Francis is reflecting a more compassionate response by recognizing the agony that women go through in making this painful decision. However, if the church would change its teaching on contraception, many abortions could be avoided in the first place.Pope Francis should ask forgiveness from women for centuries of sexism in the church that has contributed to abuse, violence and poverty of women worldwide. Pope Francis could issue a letter in this Year of Mercy asking for forgiveness for the centuries of patriarchy that have kept women subordinated and chart a new path toward gender equality that would include women priests and leaders in all areas of church ministry and governance. God's liberating love is rising up in our women priests' movement as we struggle
against injustice and discrimination toward women in the Catholic Church. In addition, Pope Francis could broaden this Year of Mercy by offering amends by the hierarchy for the clericalism at the root of the sex abuse crisis. He could announce concrete steps to hold bishops accountable for the decades of cover-up of sexual abuse against children and young adults.While ,I welcome the lifting of excommunication against the ultra conservative Lefebvrites and the restoring of faculties to their priests,Pope Francis should also lift the excommunication of women priests and our supporters and all in the church who follow their consciences.

Nori Kieran-Meredith co-presiding with Dignity Priests in California

While I understand that Pope Francis is reflecting a more compassionate approach to the divorced and remarried and to gays, lesbians and transgender, the main issue is that he is not changing toxic church teaching on these issues. In this Year of Mercy, what Catholics need Pope Francis to do is to share Christ's heart of love for all by creating a more inclusive church where all can follow their consciences without fear of punishment. This will mean changes in church teaching in order to heal the wounds of rejection that all on the margins of the Catholic Church experience. Yes, all the baptized can give and receive mercy and compassion. In an adult church this is a two-way street. The Spirit of God moves in the people of God and they have spoken out in their struggle against injustice in the institutional church. . Some examples of reforms are obvious and mentioned above- the bans on contraception , divorce and remarriage, gay, lesbian and transgender marriage and women priests.In conclusion, Pope Francis needs to embrace a broader agenda of mutual forgiveness and spiritual transformation that involves structural change and reforms in order to renew the church, I give thanks for Pope Francis in beginning the dialogue to a more compassionate church. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

"The pontiff has also said that he will allow all priests around the world to absolve women who confess to having had abortions, an ability normally reserved only to bishops. “I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal. I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision,” he added.

And in a striking move for church unity in expressing God's mercy, the pope has even granted priests of the schismatic and traditionalist Society of St. Pius X faculties to offer absolution of sins "validly and licitly" to those who approach them for confession. "

Monday, August 31, 2015

Nori Kieran-Meredith, ARCWP with local priests presiding at liturgy for Dignity

Every so often, we come up with a
Scripture passage that needs to be reviewed line by line. This is one such occasion.

We begin with Jesus returning from
Tyre and going towards the Sea of Galilee by way of Sidon. This is the equivalent of starting in
Portland, heading north to Seattle, and then dropping south to San Francisco. That is a huge jaunt! Scripture scholars estimate it took eight
months. Maybe Jesus just needed a whole
lot of time with His disciples.

In any case, a deaf man is brought
to Jesus, one with a speech impediment.
We have to conclude that at some point this man could hear. Otherwise, how would he be able to produce
language displaying a speech impediment?
If he had never been able to hear, he would only produce garbled
sounds. A speech impediment implies some
difficulty in understanding him, not a complete inability to speak.

Scripture tells us that “they” are begging
Jesus to heal the deaf man. So we have
more than one person speaking on behalf of the man. It’s a fair assumption that he is totally
puzzled about what’s happening, and so he may have been trying to speak,
too. No wonder Jesus takes him aside. Jesus probably can’t hear Himself think. Not to mention that it’s a kind thing to
do. Communication is going to be tough
enough with someone who is incapable of hearing, and so Jesus is likely fabricating
sign language on the spot.

He put His fingers in the man’s
ears. We have a Scripture passage from 2nd
Isaiah that reads, “The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the
deaf unstopped.” (Isaiah 35:5-6) Jesus must be interpreting this literally,
resting his hands on the man’s face. [demonstrate] Then Jesus spits in His hands, moistens His
fingers with His saliva, and touches the man’s tongue. Now the man knows for sure what’s happening;
this is standard procedure in those days for healing deafness and speech
impediments. The man’s focus on Jesus is
intense, pleading, and Jesus’ efforts mirror that. Jesus looks up to heaven – not hard to figure
out what that means – and then He sighs.
Scripture scholars throughout the ages have offered dozens of
interpretations of the meaning of that sigh.
But they are rather problematic.
Whenever Jesus has healed in the past, it’s just been a straightforward
process. So many of the interpreters
find something theatrical in that sigh, but that just doesn’t suit Jesus’
style.

Perhaps we need another verb. A second viable translation is “groan.” To my ear, “groan” has something to do with a
physical response, while “sigh” relates to the emotions. Perhaps Jesus is finding this cure
particularly demanding. Maybe He groans
because He is fighting to maintain the intensity of His healing touch. He digs in His heels, as it were, as the healing
drains Him of energy. And maybe that
“Ephphatha” is a cry to God for help in fully opening the man to healing.

In any case, though, the man is
healed, and Jesus enjoins those nearby to silence. Fat chance.
The crowd no doubt hears the “Ephphatha,” even if they don’t see the
cure, and they know exactly Who it came from.
And so word spreads like wildfire.
Which is aggravating, from Jesus’ standpoint. He does not want to be deluged with people
needing healing; that’s not the point of His ministry. Rather, God is among the people! Salvation is on its way. That’s Jesus’ message. And now people are going to get sidetracked
with the miraculous. Aarrrrggghhh.

On the positive front, this is one
of the most intimate scenes we have in Jesus’ life. I’ll bet it’s one that He remembers
vividly. There is a powerful human
connection between Him and the man He healed.
And they must have had so much fun talking to one another
afterwards! Can’t you just see the man
talking nineteen to the dozen, and Jesus with a smile a mile wide?

But what’s this got to do with you
and me?

That’s a tough question. It took me a week to come up with something. The obvious answer is that Jesus’ touch is
healing, life-giving, and comforting.
And that’s still the truth today.
Except after a year out of work, it doesn’t feel like that to me.

Let’s try another tack. Perhaps the meaning is that Jesus’ healing is
a process. He’s not just flipping a
switch on and off in our lives. Jesus’
healing today is a matter of increments.
It often occurs in steps. Just as
His healing of this deaf man may have taken some time, it may be the case with
His healing now. Day after day, the
Divine Physician assesses our spiritual life and supplies little bits of
healing here and there, little fine-tuned adjustments. Assuming our cooperation, every day we’ll
find ourselves a little stronger, a little more understanding, a little more
patient. It happens so seamlessly that
we’re scarcely aware of it. We may not
be headed where we want, but we surely are headed where He wants. One thing I know is that after this year out
of work, I’m more comfortable with ambiguity than I was before. I can handle the uncertainty now far better
than I could six months ago. I can feel
the intensity of Jesus’ gaze. Who can
resist that? I melt every time, agreeing
that we can do my life His way, even though I would vastly prefer it my way. Somehow, all of this is a healing process which
has something to do with an inner recalibration. It may not be my ears that are
being unstopped, but something inside is gradually yielding to the Divine and
for a reason. I don’t know where all
this is headed, but it is heading somewhere, and it’s bringing healing in its
wake. And so yes, Jesus is still healing
today.

The challenge for us is to
cooperate, no matter what. It’s
particularly hard when we don’t understand what’s happening. Trust is hard.
We need to recall that everything our God has done in the past has had
meaning, and that today is no different.
You and I may be flying blind, but we are only the co-pilots. The One at the controls knows exactly what
He’s doing, and He’s right on target. We
need to believe that. Amen? Amen.

For several years, the celebration of
Catholic Mass at the Des MoinesCatholic Worker has been a point of
controversy with Bishop Pates andothers representing the hierarchy of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of DesMoines.

Most recently, in May of this
year, Bishop Pates wrote us a letterstating that the “privilege” of having
Mass at the Des Moines CatholicWorker has been “revoked.” The reason for
this is that, in December2014, Reverend Janice Sevre-Duszynska, who is a
woman priest,celebrated a Roman Catholic Mass at the Des Moines Catholic
Worker. Itis the official position of the Roman Catholic Church that women
maynot be priests.

In 2010, Bishop Pates also expressed concerns
about the celebration ofMass at the Des Moines Catholic Worker, chief among
these being thatwe invite everyone, including non-Catholics, to receive
communion.

In response to the Bishop, we wish to let it be known that the
DesMoines Catholic Worker affirms the equality of all people,
regardlessof gender, to be full members and disciples in any Church claiming
tofollow Jesus; in the Roman Catholic Church this includes thepriesthood
and other positions of leadership within the Church.

Likewise, we affirm
that the Sacrament of Holy Communion should beopen to all who wish to
participate, regardless of religious andinstitutional affiliations. No one
seeking reconciliation and loveshould be denied the Eucharist. We believe
that Jesus would not haveit otherwise.

We welcome dialogue about
these issues. For those who may beinterested, we have included below links
to the letters we receivedfrom Bishop Pates in 2010 and 2015, and the 2010
letter from aCatholic Worker intern that initiated our dialogue with the
Bishopabout our celebration of Mass at the Des Moines Catholic
Worker.

May 5, 2015 letter from Bishop Pates to the Des Moines
Catholic
Workerhttps://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33256149/DMCW/WEB/5%3A5%3A15%20Bp%20Pates.pdf

November
10, 2010 letter from Bishop Pates to the Des Moines Catholic
Workerhttps://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33256149/DMCW/WEB/11%3A10%3A10%20Bp%20Pates.pdf

August
28, 2010 letter from CW Intern to Bishop
Pateshttps://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33256149/DMCW/WEB/8%3A28%3A10%20Braydn%20Harsha.pdf

We
also invite you to investigate the following links relevant to themovement
supporting women’s ordination in the Roman Catholic
Church.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/catholic-church-should-partner-planned-parenthood-reduce-abortionsBridget Mary's Response:This is a thought provoking article. The Catholic Church's prohibition on contraceptives plays a major role in abortions. I agree that this idea could be a win-win in reducing abortions, an idea that everyone can support. Another reason, we need women priests is to change church teaching to allow effective family planning methods such as contraceptives. An all male celibate hierarchy is out of touch on this issue. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

"Let's face it. It's time for the Catholic church and Planned Parenthood to try something dramatically different: to work closely together in order to reduce the number of abortions. It's time for a committee of national Catholic lay leaders and executives of Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers to begin a sincere dialogue about creating a new way forward -- together.,,,

The U.S. bishops and their national staff are deeply and heavily invested in the view of Planned Parenthood as the evil opposition to a "pro-life" view of the world. Would the U.S. bishops as a whole be open to working with Planned Parenthood in a collegial, cooperative manner to reduce abortions? If Francis' wish for a poor church for the poor and one filled with mercy, the answer would be yes. However, it would take great courage and fortitude to pursue a national adoption strategy working hand-in-hand with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.

As we have seen during the past several years, contraception is very important to many bishops and they want nothing to do with it. Yet, Planned Parenthood, like most lay Catholics, has a different view of the value of contraception and it's a big part of Planned Parenthood's services.

Just this past month, the New York Times reported that dramatic success of the use of contraception in the reduction of teen pregnancies in Colorado. According to the Times:

Over the past six years, Colorado has conducted one of the largest experiments with long-actingbirth control. If teenagers and poor women were offered free intrauterine devices and implants that prevent pregnancy for years, state officials asked, would those women choose them?

They did in a big way, and the results were startling. The birthrate among teenagers across the state plunged by 40 percent from 2009 to 2013, while their rate of abortions fell by 42 percent, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. There was a similar decline in births for another group particularly vulnerable to unplanned pregnancies: unmarried women under 25 who have not finished high school.

"Our demographer came into my office with a chart and said, 'Greta, look at this, we've never seen this before,' " said Greta Klingler, the family planning supervisor for the public health department. "The numbers were plummeting."

Would the U.S. bishops deny this vulnerable cohort free contraception knowing that an abortion is the highly expected result of an unplanned pregnancy?

Time to think big and with mercy

To date, the Catholic church is not thinking big enough in its attempts to reduce the number of abortions in the U.S. It never has, but that time has arrived.

Unless the Catholic church stands up and says unequivocally, "Let us work closely with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers and with every expectant mother who is considering an abortion and we will support all mothers who choose to keep their baby or accept every newborn child who was otherwise scheduled for an abortion but is delivered and given up for adoption, and we will work closely with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers and with the birth moms before, during and after the pregnancy," it's hard to take seriously the "commitment" the church has to reducing abortions.

The hardline protesters can still go praying their rosaries while holding their blood-stained placards in front of Planned Parenthood offices. Policy initiatives can still be pursued to reduce the number of abortions and to keep abortion available. And fundraising in support of the lobbyists fighting abortions will continue unabated, as will fundraising and lobbying efforts in support of the pro-choice advocates. All this is certain.

After 40 years of the same old hostile, screaming stand-off and in-your-face, finger-pointing between the anti-abortionists and pro-choice advocates, at what point do the futile anti-abortion tactics become morally complicit in each of the one million abortions performed each year? And when will Planned Parenthood's "pro-choice" mantra actually include enabling a pregnant woman to choose to keep her baby or choose to give the baby up for adoption?

In light of the intractable status quo, the real work of reducing abortions, a goal of both Democrats and Republicans, can only take place by a national Catholic lay-led and governed entity engaging the self-described compassionate Planned Parenthood -- and expectant mothers visiting Planned Parenthood offices -- in a way that builds up life and does not continue to tear it asunder.

Forty more years of doing the same thing is sheer insanity."

[Tom Gallagher is a regular contributor to the NCR and lead writer for the newspaper's Mission Management column.]